TURTLE Internship

Wabanaki Public Health & Wellness (WPHW) is excited to offer an internship opportunity!  Our mission is to provide community-driven, culturally centered public health and social services to all Wabanaki communities. Our values include inclusivity, balance, and cultural centeredness. Wabanaki traditions, language, and culture guide our approach and describe the ways we live in harmony with each other and the land we collectively share.

TURTLE Intern Description: 

The Wabanaki Tribal Undergraduate Research Training and Leadership Experiences (TURTLE) is a paid, year-long internship program for Indigenous undergraduate students focused on developing the knowledge, leadership abilities, and research skills of future Indigenous researchers. The internship is an opportunity for Indigenous undergraduate students and those who have graduate school aspirations looking to explore careers related to research, health, and wellness.     

Program Overview:

The Tribal Undergraduate Research Training and Leadership Experiences Internship is a 12-month program (June 2027 through May 2028) composed of the following components:

• An 8-week full-time in-person rotation at the Wabanaki Public Health & Wellness - Bangor office
• A week of funded travel during the 8-week period to Washington State University 
• Ten months of remote participation (16 hours a month) on professional development, following the in-person
  activities.

Each intern will be paired with their own mentor based on research interests, where they will get hands-on experience
with community-engaged research. The internship will focus on building knowledge and skills on topics like qualitative and quantitative research methods, data sovereignty and ethical considerations when working with Tribal communities, health science communication, and avenues of dissemination to prepare students for careers in health research. 

There is a stipend for interns totaling $9,600.

All applications must be received by December 31, 2026. 

Please fill out this application in its entirety. If you are experiencing issues with submission, or have any questions, please contact Dr. Leigh Neptune at lneptune@wabanakiphw.org 

Eligibility Requirements:

• Applicants must be 18+, a member of a federally recognized Native American Nation and 
• enrolled at a college or university
• Applicants must be able to meet all travel and in-person requirements of the program. 
• Applicants must submit to background checks as required by the program.